Warning over Labour-SNP plot to oust Tories at next election

Keir Starmer: Labour on course to win next general election

A Scottish Tory MSP has warned of the prospect of a coalition between Labour and the SNP.

It comes after the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn boasted the nationalist party could “pull the strings” of a minority government after the next general election.

Experts predicted that while Labour had made significant gains in this week’s local elections, it had not done enough to secure an overall majority in a national vote.

Sir Keir Starmer’s party has insisted it is on course to take power and will not form a deal with the SNP to govern.

But Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr claimed Labour would U-turn as they have “already U-turned on everything else”.

Mr Kerr said: “Projections from this week’s elections show if replicated at a general election, it would be a hung parliament.

“In this scenario, Labour will U-turn and look to bring the SNP in to form Govt. They’ll deny it, but they’ve already U-turned on everything else!”

Mr Flynn yesterday gloated that the local election results suggest that the SNP could hold the balance of power at the next general election.

He said the nationalist party would use the leverage to demand a fresh independence referendum.

The SNP chief said: “It’s increasingly clear that the SNP can hold the balance of power after the next general election – putting Scotland in prime position to pull the strings of a minority UK government.

“Voting SNP is the best way to beat the Tories in Scotland – and every vote for the SNP will be crucial to ensure Scotland wields real power and influence.

“With the pro-Brexit Labour Party lurching to the right, and becoming indistinguishable from the Tories, the SNP will make certain that real change happens.

“The SNP would ensure the power to determine Scotland’s future is transferred to Edinburgh, that the cost-of-living crisis becomes the main priority of Westminster and that relations with Europe are rebuilt and renewed.”

Mr Flynn’s comments come as the SNP has been engulfed in chaos by a police probe into its finances.

Labour is hoping to capitalise on the difficult period for Scotland’s dominant political party.

Shadow Scotland Secretary Ian Murray said yesterday: “The results in the local government elections England, alongside Labour recovering in Scotland, show that we are on course for a majority Labour government.

“Labour has spent the local elections campaign focused on the cost of living, while the Tories have tried and failed to hide from their abysmal record.

“With the SNP mired in scandal and under police investigation, it is game on for Labour in Scotland and we stand ready to offer change to Scotland with a Labour government across the U.K.”

Labour seized battlegrounds in the local elections in England while the Tories suffered heavy losses.

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